Toon Life - A Rollercoaster

Defender Craig Moore follows on from a whole list of Newcastle defenders saying playing for the Toon is a 'rollercoaster'.

I remember Bobby Moncur saying it back in the 1960s, and more recently Warren Barton and John Beresford from the Keegan era. And following on the Geordie tradition, the Australian says he is happy enough responding to that kind of pressure.

Moore: 'I've only been at Newcastle a short spell but the spotlight's always there. Newcastle are known as a flamboyant side that's going to go out and score lots of goals - more than they concede.

'You're expected to go out and win every game, but pressure's good. I'd much rather be playing under pressure than at a club where there's no real ambition or aim. It's a rollercoaster, but that's Newcastle!'

'We've come off a run where we don't feel we've been playing badly but the mistakes we've made, we've been punished for. A lot of the goals we have conceded have been from set pieces. We need to tighten up on that.

'Against Middlesbrough we had a good part of the play but walked away with nothing so you feel robbed in the end. But that's the level you're playing at. If you're going to make mistakes you'll get punished.

'Everybody's putting in the hard yards and hopefully it can change our fortune. You look at last year and the run we put together and you see where it gets you.

'It's an extremely tight-knit group we've got and everyone's looking to work extremely hard to turn it around. We believe we've got a good enough squad to be further up the table but nothing's handed to you on a plate.

'With the Portsmouth result and another home game on Saturday it's important to get on a little run and get a head of steam. There is a desire to do well for the manager, for the chairman and I believe everybody deserves to be seeing a lot better.'